Beauti-Fall Weekend

 Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.  ~Elizabeth Lawrence

 

We were in New England over the Columbus Day holiday weekend, and what greeted us was a visual feast of the beauty that is autumn!  The drive up had us "ooh-ing" and "aah-ing", a favorite reaction that was repeated throughout our stay.  :P  Can't help it.  We were enjoying great weather, scenic routes, crisp autumn air, blue skies, and a dazzling display of color-tinged leaves.  The wedding reception we attended was held outdoors, and the family's spacious backyard was transformed into a truly warm and inviting harvest celebration.   OMG!  Simply perfect!  

   

There's this song from Noggin that I've been singing along to... "I feel like I'm falling for fall."  Well I've fallen for fall.  I love it!  And to all fellow leaf peepers out there, it ain't over til the last leaf falls!

*picture courtesy of cnn.com

Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama!

Do unto others...

I clip coupons, get them in the mail, or print them from store emails. I don't use them all, but I usually bring them anyway so that other people can benefit from them. I enjoy handing it out while standing in line at the check out counter.

Tonight, the lady in front of me handed me a coupon for the popcorn that I had in my cart. Just like that. She also told me that today is a triple-your-coupon day. What a treat! I just thought it was sooo cool!

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop

Pearl of the Orient Seas

What is the Philippines? Yep. We were just there, and that explains the inactivity here. Back in September, I was too busy making sure that I was packing everything that the little boy would need. I tell you, it was no joke... especially since I was packing for a family of three and we're flying to another country. Come on now, you can relate! It's a lot of planning and work and lists. I took over the guestroom, brought out the clothes and gifts and things and more things, and got crazy filling the luggage that I lined up on the floor. Sure, we can buy essentials that we may have missed to bring or we ran out of. BUT, this is a short vacation and I didn't want to be bothered with grocery shopping when I could be in Greenhills shopping for things that I want. Haha. I wish.


This visit was really just to be with family. We met up with dear friends as well. So much to do, so little time. We made sure Andrew had his taste of the Philippine scene. We did a pictorial in historic Intramuros. We took him to Manila Ocean Park, which was amazing. A family outing to Zoobic Safari was also arranged to celebrate two of his cousins' birthday. We also dropped by the 29th Manila International Book Fair, where I got him numerous bilingual (filipino-english) books. After a family day at the farm in Pao, we did a quick side trip to the Monasteryo de Tarlac in the Lubigan Eco-Tourism Park. The view was breathtaking! It. is. beautiful. up. there. You should visit!

I'll stop now and let some pictures do the talking.

approaching Clark Airport, partial view of Ortigas

swimming with Ate , "it's all mine now"

"cool chairs" , fish spa!

MOP

Manila Cathedral , Fort Santiago

Calesa Ride "I'm shy!"

Intramuros, Fort Santiago

Juan Tamad at the Book Fair, Monasteryo de Tarlac

Today's High: My Grocery Savings

So I wanted to talk about coupon power. It started out at BJ's where I used 10 coupons (manufacturer's and in-club) and saved $26.25! I had $5 off a box of Pampers baby dry, another $5 off Pampers wipes, $4 off Pampers cruisers, $4 off Tide and Downy, $2 off Nesquik, etc. Add $11 of instant rebates, and voila, a total of $37.25 extra savings! I'm a happy camper! This is the main reason why I selectively clip coupons to complement my shopping list, and very *seldom* leave home without it.

BJ's (and other warehouse club) prices are much less compared to regular grocery store prices because of bulk packaging. To lower the *lower* price is what I call savvy shopping. 'gotta trim our outlays.

Off to Waldbaum's next, viewed the circular and weekly specials, breezed through the aisles, picked this sale item and that, checked-out, used my valued shopper club card, and ka-ching, saved $40.75.

Last stop: CVS. 'needed Infant Motrin. 'shaved $1 off with my coupon, and somehow earned $1 of CVS money by using my Extra Care CVS card.

Truly, a great day of savings for me. No matter what other people say about loyalty club cards being a ruse and not really saving you money, I don't give a hoot. I know my products and how much they're worth, and I sure know when they are priced high, priced right, and priced-to-be-grabbed.

Hi! I'm Faye, and I shop smart.

Are you a fan of Rachael Ray?

This *may* be your chance to see Rachael Ray in person and see her show live!

('got this invite from one of my mommy groups.)

**********

Send e-mail to:rrtickets@kingworld.com

You are invited to attend a special taping of the Rachael Ray Show!!!!

**THIS IS NOT A TICKET**

In celebration of Rachael's 40th birthday, we are having a special themed show and are inviting audience members who are turning 40 years of age to attend this special taping of the Rachael Ray show to help share Rachael's big day.

We are looking for Men and Women who are 39 years old (born in 1968) and /or turning 40 years of age between August- December only!

Please only reply back if you meet this requirement. Please note that this is a special one-time themed show to celebrate Rachael turning the big "4" "0". For this show ONLY, we will be admitting only those guests that meet the above requirement.

If you don't meet this requirement, we encourage you to apply to be a guest on another day, please visit our website at rachaelrayshow.com

Please reply with the following information:
Your name: ________________________________
Show Date: Thursday August 28th at 10:15 am
Number of tickets requested (4 is max): __________
Confirm that all guests meet this One-Time Age Requirement of being 39 years of age and/or turning 40 years old by the end of the year:___________________
(All guests must be 39 or turning 40 years old with valid identification for this special themed show. Photo ID's will be required for entry, No exceptions!)
Cell Phone/Daytime Phone: ____________________
Email: _____________________________________

Please include "RACHAEL RAY -"40th Birthday Show" in the subject line of your reply email.
We look forward to hearing from you soon and we are excited for you to be part of this special taping.

* After you reply, you will receive an email ticket for the showwith more information on Wednesday August 20th

PLEASE NOTE: This is a special taping for "Rachael's 40th Birthday" Only guests who are 39 years of age and/or turning 40 this year will be admitted. Even with confirmation, all Rachael Ray tapings are first come, first serve and admission is not guaranteed.

Rachael Ray
Audience Department

NY Restaurant Week is on until Labor Day

Now that we've got more time --fellow foodies, let's devour!

Next on our list (if I can get dinner reservation): Blue Water Grille, 21 Club, and Tribecca Grill. I'm disappointed that River Cafe did not participate this year. We had lunch (a first, in our RW experience) at Morimoto, and it was all right. The salad appetizer, for me, was very simple and not as flavorful as I wanted it to be. I have yet to find a salad appetizer that will rival Columbia's; it's sooo good, your palate will immediately know the difference. It's been years ago since we were in this Sarasota restaurant, but I still get a flashback of the taste, the burst of flavor, the juicy ingredients...makes we want to fly to St. Armands Circle right now. But I digress...

Here's what calmed our grumbly stomach:

I must tell you that the egg was perfectly poached. Superb! The chef's sushi selection tasted delicious. Albert also ordered a spicy tuna roll for himself, and a california roll for me. We were stuffed, for sure. Oh, and they gave me two bowls of the Beef Gyudon. :P Guess why?

For dessert, they had teeny-tiny offerings of a bite-size brownie and some candies. I don't know, for some reason, it screamed at us like "Come on, what would you expect? It's Restaurant Week, people!" We ordered tea and called it a day.

My friends rave about Morimoto ("five stars! five stars!"), but they were there for dinner and they ordered from the regular menu. I'm sure the food was excellent. As for their RW lunch fare, we've really had better.

Bronx Zoo's toyland

From August 18 to 24, Fisher-Price will be hosting Play Week at the Bronx Zoo from 11 am to 4 pm each day. It will feature a super-sized playpen with lots of toys, a driving track, a vanity station for some arts and crafts, and special appearances by costume characters. A free gift bag with activity booklet and the new Planet Heroes DVD awaits each child visiting the play area.

We've now booked that weekend for a playdate. :P

Live ...at the New York Hall of Science!

July 17 . I received an email from Mary Record of the NY Hall of Science about being on TV. They needed energetic kids of all ages to play in the exhibits and be filmed on live TV. She wanted to know if I would be interested. Would I be interested? OF COURSE! :P I can imagine it being a really fun experience for both me and Andrew. We're in!

There were two television shoots over the weekend, and I can choose to attend one or attend both. On Saturday (7/19, 8:30-10am) CBS-TV will be filming live weather segments in the Science Playground while on Sunday (7/20, 5:45-9am), ABC-TV will do the same in the Hall's special exhibition, Magic: The Science of Illusion. I emailed Mary back to let her know that Andrew and I were interested in joining the Saturday shoot, and half an hour later, I received her confirmation. Mary also made a note to "dress your child in bright colored-clothing with no logos or words" and that "solid colors work best".

Albert has a scheduled eval and won't be able to join us, so I asked Mama if she'd come with us instead. The doting Lola, of course, is available.

July 18, 10pm. 'got the diaper bag ready. Still unsure which shirt Andrew should wear the next day. Tough call!!! All the brightly colored ones had logos in 'em. Would have loved for him to wear his orange or his blue Mets shirt. My other option was to have him wear a striped shirt. Would the yellow and blue stripes look better than the blue and pink stripes? Or would I settle for the soft lime green shirt? Man, I started to think how I'm making a big deal out of this. Fine, the green shirt it is (but I will bring the striped shirts, just in case...). Stars need a change of outfit after all, right? *lol*

July 19, 7am. I was up earlier than usual. On a Saturday! Hey, for the love of TV, hahaha. At 7:15, pupungas-pungas pa ang mag-ama. 'got myself ready, then I prepared Andrew's breakfast. He seemed to wonder why his morning routine is 1 1/2 hours off. Anyway, we were out the door by 8:05 and parking in the museum grounds by 8:20. We were ushered into the Science playground, where Mary welcomed us. Free breakfast for all attendees. Nice. Andrew was all set, but I needed my caffeine and I was not sure if Mama ate something before we left.

'noted that the lights had been set up in certain areas of the playground. I was hoping to see Dave Price (my crush since his Fox5 days), but I learned that Megan Glaros was doing the whole outdoor segment of the show. She's pretty and sweet. She interacted with the families during the breaks and she was friendly to all the kids.

By 10am, it was a wrap. As soon as we got home, we reviewed the recording of the show and ta-dah... here's our few seconds of fame.

(to follow once Tatay has uploaded it on YouTube)

It's time again for NY Restaurant Week!

Hot off the press tip from OpenTable.com!!!

Mark your calendar for NYC Summer Restaurant Week 2008:
July 21 - 25 and July 28 - August 1

Eat and be very merry! Make your reservations early (I'm serious!). As soon as I saw the email, I tried booking a late lunch at Asiate but "no tables are available within 2 hours of my 2pm request." Whatev.

For two weeks, experience NYC's finest restaurants and pay only $24.07 for a three-course lunch (or $35 for dinner). IF you stick to the menu (and drink water instead of wine or some cocktail), even with tax and gratuity, you're still paying a fraction of the usual price. IF you lack self-control like we do ("Yes, I'll have a gewurztraminer and..."), you may see a spike in the bill. Nonetheless, I still love, love Restaurant Week because we get to try out dining hot spots that are usually out of our budget. We choose our picks based on these criteria:

> $$$$ price category (which means we wouldn't normally eat there unless it's restaurant week) > place comes highly recommended
> location (e.g. River Cafe) or history of the place (e.g. One if by Land, Two if by Sea)
> we know the chef (the chef doesn't necessarily know us)

RW could be a hit and miss. Since 2002, the restaurants we've tried had us feeling good and happy about the food and the service (except at Inagiku last year). We've had...

the best time at Terrace in the Sky
the most romantic date at Josephs Citarella
the best steak at Smith & Wollensky and Delmonico's (Restaurant week aside, our personal faves are Uncle Jack's and Peter Luger)

We'll see if Morimoto will be in this special list after July 24.

And feel free to share your RW picks with me.

Note: Learn more about the NY Restaurant Week.

Download a free copy of Women & Money by Suze Orman

You read that right! But hurry, you only have until 8/7c tonight!!!

Download it here. *

Empower yourself and control your destiny! Have a great day!

*IF you missed the free download time period, email me at pambatangpinoy[at]gmail[dot]com. Ipapadala ko na lang as attachment and kopya ng aklat.


Note: Free download, courtesy of Oprah.com

New York Hall of Science review

My girlfriends and I scheduled a playdate at the New York Hall of Science, and we and our children had a wonderful time. There are lots of interactive and stimulating exhibits to see and explore. My son had a blast just walking around and enjoying the sights. Not much interest in the exhibits really, but the idea of a great time for him is "people watching" and "roaming-around-to-touch-this-and-that". Fair enough. :) The "Preschool Place" is where we stayed the most, because we have toddlers. It had a market area where the kids shopped and picked fruits and veggies (and pushed a shopping cart, if they were lucky enough to find one that was available); the check-out counter had a cashier station, conveyor, and scanner. Really cute. On one end was a special padded area for babies. The "Sports Challenge" exhibit was also a hit with the older kids. The mini water park in the Science Playground entertained our children and cooled them off, but I didn't like that we had to pay an additional $4 to get in (this is on top of the admission fee).

I signed on as a member and for the next two years, we'll have:
> unlimited access to the Hall
> free parking in the on-site lot
> admission to more than 250 other museums worldwide
> borrowing privileges from the Science Technology Library, and
> discounts on subscriptions to FamilyFun and Disney Adventures magazines.

I think it's worth it.

**************

Rating: 4 stars
Pros: friendly staff, interactive exhibits, indoor and outdoor cafe (you may bring food)
Cons: street parking if you are not a member (or pay $10 for parking), additional $4 to get in the science playground




mirror room & bubble fun in the hall

sports challenge

preschool place

preschool place

cold mist in the science playground

The Kids

Oh yes, The Years Are Short

'saw this video here. It's by Gretchen Rubin, a NY-based writer. Check out her blog and embark on a happiness project of your own.

Here Kitty Kitty!

Finalleeeeh! :) The 2G was mine! I'm demystifying the kitty party, if you had not searched about it yet.

Kitty party... Paluwagan... Jam-ia... Sou sou. Whichever way it is called, it's a means to save money. Here's more:

Kitty, in India (and this is according to Tarun), means a pot of money. The Dictionary of Indian English has this meaning:

kitty party: n. a meeting of women where chits are arranged or gossip is exchanged.
chit: n. a financial scheme in which a group of people put in a fixed amount every day/week/month and one of them gets to collect the entire amount by lucky draw each time.

Note: There's 10 of us in the group. 8 women and 3 men. The promoter (and promotor) coined it kitty party...as per Tarun. So yeah, technically, it's supposed to be a meeting of women. But hey, we're all women! Chits are exchanged. Check. Gossip is exchanged. Check. Unique drawings are held. Check. Kitty party all the way!

My mom has something similar in their school, and they call it Sou sou. I went, "su... what??" :P
Fine, count me in. :) The more "diversified" I am in my savings, the better. The Urban Dictionary has this to say:

Sou Sou
A savings arrangement where a group of people each pool an equal amount of money for a period time (month, two weeks, etc) and after that time is up, one person in the group gets all that money. They keep doing this till everyone gets their turn and receives that full lump sum at least once. It's not a pyramid scheme, no one loses as long as everyone's trustworthy and puts in their share. It's just a way to hang on to money by putting tying it up into something else temporary. This is popular with 1st-gen Carribbeans, South Americans, Africans, and maybe someother people. Just a way to save money up if you can't get a small savings account, aren't in a credit union, or don't want Tha Man all up in your business.

Note: My mom's group draws the monthly "winner" in the beginning of the Sou Sou. You'll know when to expect your share. You can also request (or switch) for a slot, if let's say you need the money by a certain month. With mom's help, I got the March money pool (I needed it for Andrew's birthday party). Aren't they great?

On to our Filipino version, the Paluwagan. I say, who hasn't joined one??? Same premise: contribute money to a pool on a monthly basis, and the lucky member for the month gets to enjoy the money. It's repeated until all the members get their fair share. I was teasing a friend of mine who didn't know about the paluwagan (or is it more like, patago) that was so "in" during our elementary and high school days. I told her, she probably didn't need to do it anyway. Meanwhile, there I was... often a part of the class savings program. I even got assigned the responsibility of keeping the money safe (which, let me tell you, now that I look back at it, was difficult to do during those years). Look, you got extra cash in your possession... you're young... wouldn't it be convenient to borrow some of it to buy stationery for your collection, or to get yourself a bottle of Denenes? You tell me! Nah. Let me pat myself on the back... good thing I was the responsible class VP and I was also a legionary... no hanky panky.

********

Okay. So back to my win. What do you say I now do with the money?

Tea... and the Kitty Primary!

4th Kitty Party was held at Sarabeth's. The thought of 'afternoon tea' thrilled the kitty hopefuls. I long wanted to experience a full tea service, not the typical before or after-meal tea in Chau Zhou or Silver Pond. You know what I mean... When Kathy voiced out the plan, I was looking forward to this monthly meet and then thought about the dress code. Darn, would dressing up be part of the plan? We were all relieved to know that it's going to be a casual afternoon tea treat. No white gloves. No chic hats. No lace and frills. Come as you wish.

It was lovely to have tea (& food) with friends. For $21 (+ tax and gratuity), we had tea sandwiches of ...Smoked Salmon with pickled onions & caper cream cheese, Chicken Salad with raisins, walnuts & dill, Radish and Cucumber with baby greens & chive goat cheese, Black Forest Ham with Brie cheese; complete with Sarabeth’s Scones, Cookies, Jams, and Clabber. Of course, you get your choice of Harney and Sons Tea. Add in the mix of stories, topics, gossip, news, updates, thoughts, and opinions that fly across each one of us in the group, and it truly becomes a fun weekend. Big bonus: getting the kitty. After each one of us got a bite of the delicious Martine's truffle (thanks to the host), it was determined that the winner for March is... Mel! --his is the only one with raspberry filling.

For April, incoming host Mel planned an elaborate Kitty Primary. Yup, check out the theme from this avid Hillary follower:

Email announcement: Attention: Kitty Pollsters!

Dear Super Delegates,

You need to vote for this new CNN/Pepper Poll-
1. Brunch or Dinner?2. April 12 or 19?
Your votes must be received by March 31 or else your vote will not count.

Thank you for your cooperation.
Senator Rommel

Congresswoman Pepper

Email confirmation: Kitty Poll Results!

Dear Superdelegates,

Not everyone has voted, however, it was a unanimous vote by the majority of those who voted already.
Here is the result:
It will be dinner on April 19, 2008.

The convention will be at:
Hill Country30 W 26th St between 6th Ave/Broadway

If you want to check their website: http://www.hillcountryny.com

Note: For those who haven't received their kitty, pls.think of the theme based on my two emails. This could determine your "momentum" in winning the prize.

Email reminder: Kitty Party this Saturday!!!

Dear Superdelegates,

This is a reminder that our convention for the kitty party is this Saturday, April 19 at 8 pm.
The convention will be at:
Hill Country30 W 26th St between 6th Ave/Broadway
If you want to check their website: http://www.hillcountryny.com.
(Ashton Kutcher and company had their after party here)

Note: I have counted all of you for the reservation. If you are bringing someone, pls. let me know the latest by Friday night. Otherwise, I can't guarantee your guest will be seated. The restaurant has a very strict reservation policy.

Thank you very much for your cooperation.
Senator Rommel

Congresswoman Pepper

************

Pretty cool! Come convention night, we helped ourselves to generous servings of ribs, chicken, sausage, pork brisket, and sides. I got the bbq sampler #1 for $25 (with plenty to take-home for my dh). Mel began the voting proceedings before the band started playing and we couldn't hear one another anymore. But first, a test of knowledge of our chosen candidate. "What is your candidate's date of birth?" -- aargh, if one of us just knew Barack or Hillary that well, we could've won the prized kitty nomination! Since we all failed the first round, we were subjected to envelope drawings and competing for state electoral caucuses. The verdict after three rounds: President Jo Ann! I wonder what her first official act would be.

Note: Obviously, I still haven't won the kitty. I will explain what this is all about when I get that 2G. :P

Funny, I get it!

Another email from A. Subject of the forwarded message was "New York is in the building." --I wonder why? :P

It said "only those that grew up in NY can understand the meaning of this", but I changed it to:

Long-time New Yorkers can understand the meaning of this:

THERE IS NO NORTH AND SOUTH. IT'S 'UPTOWN' OR 'DOWNTOWN.' IF YOU'RE REALLY FROM NEW YORK, YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONCEPT OF WHERE NORTH AND SOUTH ARE...AND EAST OR WEST IS 'CROSS-TOWN.'

YOU'RE 35 YEARS OLD AND DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

YOU RIDE IN A SUBWAY CAR WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE SEATS AVAILABLE.

YOU TAKE THE TRAIN HOME AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE ON THE PLATFORM THE DOORS WILL OPEN THAT WILL LEAVE YOU RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE EXIT STAIRWAY.

YOU KNOW WHAT A 'REGULAR' COFFEE IS.

IT'S NOT MANHATTAN...IT'S THE 'CITY.'

YOU CROSS THE STREET ANY WHERE BUT ON THE CORNERS AND YOU YELL AT CARS FOR NOT RESPECTING YOUR RIGHT TO DO IT.

YOU MOVE 3,000 MILES AWAY, SPEND 10 YEARS LEARNING THE LOCAL LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE STILL KNOW YOU'RE FROM BROOKLYN, LONG ISLAND OR THE BRONX THE MINUTE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH.

YOU RETURN AFTER 10 YEARS AND THE FIRST FOODS YOU WANT ARE A 'REAL' PIZZA AND A 'REAL' BAGEL.

A 500 SQUARE FOOT APARTMENT IS LARGE.

YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ALL THE DIFFERENT RAY'S PIZZAS.

YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT ANY HUMAN BEING WOULD BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND A P.A. ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE SUBWAY.

YOU WOULDN'T BOTHER ORDERING PIZZA IN ANY OTHER CITY.

YOU GET READY TO ORDER DINNER EVERY NIGHT AND MUST CHOOSE FROM THE MAJOR FOOD GROUPS WHICH ARE: CHINESE, ITALIAN, MEXICAN OR INDIAN.

YOU'RE NOT THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED IN GOING TO TIMES SQUARE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.

YOUR INTERNAL CLOCK IS PERMANENTLY SET TO KNOW WHEN ALTERNATE SIDE OF THE STREET PARKING REGULATIONS IS IN EFFECT.

YOU KNOW WHAT A BODEGA IS.

SOMEONE BUMPS INTO YOU AND YOU CHECK FOR YOUR WALLET.

YOU DON'T EVEN NOTICE THE LADY WALKING DOWN THE ROAD HAVING A PERFECTLY NORMAL CONVERSATION WITH HERSELF.

YOU PAY 'ONLY' $230 A MONTH TO PARK YOUR CAR.

YOU CRINGE AT HEARING PEOPLE PRONOUNCE HOUSTON ST. LIKE THE CITY IN TEXAS.

THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT IS A MAJOR TRAFFIC JAM, NOT AN HONOR.

YOU CAN NAP ON THE SUBWAY AND NEVER MISS YOUR STOP.

THE DELI GUY GIVES YOU A STRAW WITH ANY BEVERAGE YOU BUY, EVEN IF IT'S A BEER.

THAT'S NEW YORK, BABY! YA GOTTA LOVE IT.

IF YOU ARE A TRUE NEW YORKER (or just want to share this with folks), SEND THIS TO EVERYONE LIKE YOURSELF.

Have you heard of this?

I was reviewing the starred emails in my inbox, and I came across this message that was sent early last month. It was from my husband. :P

===========================================

The Man Rules­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down. Finally , the guys' side of the story( I must admit, it's pretty good).

We always hear 'the rules' From the female side. Now here are the rules from the male side.

These are our rules!
Please note... they are all numbered '1' ON PURPOSE!


1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one! Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have NO idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say 'nothing,' We will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really!

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball or golf.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Pass this to as many men as you can - to give them a laugh. Pass this to as many women as you can - to give them a bigger laugh.

The NYC Papal Visit

I only learned about the Pope's U.S. visit about two weeks ago, and felt ashamedly ignorant that I didn't know of this news sooner. Papal mass tickets were granted through lottery, and I bet getting one felt like winning the lottery indeed!

Last Friday, A and I were glued to NY1's coverage of the Pope's departure from Washington D.C. and his arrival to NYC. Even if we were just seeing him on television, there was this overwhelming feeling of his holy presence that truly touched us. It's hard to explain. He exudes love, and warmth, peace, joy and blessing among others... you just feel like crying. And so we 'followed' him until he got to the United Nations building for his scheduled speech to the General Assembly. As it was getting close to 'tchukoy's nap time, I switched to his lullabye cd and missed the Pope's UN speech.

Saturday, I was scheduled to be in the city for the Young Child expo. I would then meet up with A, B, and Mama later during the day to attend M's 1st birthday party in Bayonne. The expo's venue was at the Hilton Hotel on 6th Ave. and 54th St. , a few blocks away from St. Patrick's Cathedral where the Pope was scheduled to celebrate mass at 9:15am. I was out of the subway by 8:40am, and as I walked towards 54th St., I saw many people headed towards 5th ave. Police had already closed several blocks of streets towards 5th, and only residents or individuals with tickets were granted access. (Now I regretted not bringing the camera that I saw on our dining table.) I wanted to photograph what I was seeing. I also felt excited to be in the same vicinity where the Pope was. Using my camera phone, I did get some low res pictures of that morning scene. Better than nothing.

By 11:45 am, I was out of the Hilton and in the streets of Manhattan... just wandering... and wondering where the Pope was at that time. I decided to go to F.A.O. Schwartz to see if I can add a toy to M's gift (we got her clothes). I don't know why I headed west towards 7th ave. when F.A.O. was on 5th. I turned the next block and headed back. I passed by Carnegie Deli, and some police barricades. A couple more steps heading east and lo and behold, I realized that the Popemobile's Motorcade route is along 5th! W-o-w! I'm gonna be where the action is. True enough, 5th Ave. was crowded, the 'fences' were filled, and people crammed the sidewalks. More and more people headed that way. The atmosphere was definitely festive. The crowd was enthusiastic. People seemed joyfully anxious. Smiles were often exchanged. I was thrilled at the thought that I may catch a glimpse of the Pope. I didn't know then what time the motorcade was going to start. I asked a cop, and he said he wasn't sure. Anyway, I was too happy to be walking up and down 5th avenue, taking "it" all in. I did a quick stop at F.A.O., but it was really quick. I couldn't take my mind off what was going on outside. Standing with the crowd, all I felt was peace, happiness, and gratitude. I felt so blessed.

A informed me that the motorcade starts at 1:15pm. He'll pick me up on the way to Jersey, and I was to head down to 36th and 7th. Awww... I won't see the Pope! I may have missed him, but I really felt him in my heart and soul.

Today, we heard the 11:30am mass in our parish church. Earlier, we watched the Pope's visit to ground zero. At 2:30, we tuned in to the Papal Mass at Yankee Stadium. As spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic church, it is not surprising how Pope Benedict XVI has this power to connect to you... whether you are near or far.

Even if I didn't get to see the Holy Father in person, I will always remember his NYC visit to be a very spiritually uplifting experience.

Note: Picture, from the Archdiocese of NY.

Eggs-tremely Amazing!

I was on my way to a Family as Partners conference at NYU when I read about this Long Island couple in Metro (free newspaper in NY subway). On March 4, Tom and Allison Penn became parents to three identical babies! Let me say that again, identical!!! What are the odds??? Just one in 200 million! :P Way to go, Penns!


Note: Picture, from The Daily News.

The couple (who had difficulty conceiving) are now blessed with three beautiful boys. They went through in vitro fertilization, had a single egg transferred, and the amazing egg split, and then one half split again. This occurrence is definitely one for the books. Many people put back two or three embryos, and then pray for the miracle that one would at least take. As we've been in that rollercoaster ride, I have heard many times over that it takes just one egg to do the job. In the Penn's case, what a hardworking egg!!!


Send me some fertility dust, Allison!

Love the libe

Every week or so, I make a trip to the library to borrow DVDs (usually, any Baby Einstein that we don't already have), magazines, and books. It's like going to Barnes and Noble or Borders, bringing home all the stuff that you want, and not spending a single dime (lest you are paying overdue fees for late returns). In the pic is my sample loot. :)


So yes, I do save money by yielding those tempting magazine subscription offers. Why pay for something that I can get (er, borrow) for free? Another plus, I don't even have to worry about accumulating periodicals clutter. And the DVDs, we're not into collecting them. It's borrow-watch-return. I have a seasonal interest on books, so I don't typically browse the libe's extensive collection. And if I had a particular book in mind, I can search for it in the online catalog, place a request on it, and then get an email or a letter informing me that's it's available for pick-up in my library of choice. Ain't that cool or what?! I can also borrow from and return items to any of the 70+ libraries in Queens, 7 days a week (with late closings on some days).

There are a myriad of free services for children, teens, and adults. From tax prep, to help with homework, to health screenings, to various workshops, to computer or language classes, and so on and so forth! My goodness, pag di ka naman ma-overwhelm! Hahaha. If all these don't make anyone fall in love with the libe, I don't know what else would.


Below is Butchukoy's first trip.



*The Queens Library is an independent system that is separate from the Brooklyn and New York City (Manhattan-Bronx-Staten Island) libraries.

On an elettric note...

I got this from my dose of .

February 27, 2008

The Elettric Company

Elettaria Restaurant Opens

Enough with Ginger, Posh, and co. We’re way more excited about the reunion of the Spice Boys.

Akhtar Nawab and Noel Cruz jammed together at Craftbar — Nawab rocking the kitchen, Cruz rolling the front of house. They parted ways for other gigs but have reunited at Elettaria, their first solo restaurant, opening today.

The first-generation Americans are doing riffs on the flavors and spices of their homelands, India (Nawab) and the Philippines (Cruz). Wild boar with cumin. Saag paneer gnocchi with cloves. Fried coconut cream with ginger mousse and tamarind sorbet.

Elettaria (Latin for “green cardamom”) was once home to 8th Wonder, a venue where Jimi Hendrix performed. It still has a clubby feeling with velvet curtains, exposed brick, and an open kitchen where the cooks are very much on stage.

Pass the crab meat resala and take us to the bridge.

Elettaria, 33 West 8th Street, at Macdougal Street (212-677-3833).

Note: Text and pictures, from Daily Candy NY

This weekend: Dim Sum & Museum combo

February's Kitty Party* was hosted in Chinatown (not the one by us, but in Manhattan) yesterday. It was market day, so it's extra busy. I was resolute to look for street parking, even if it meant walking a couple of blocks (after all, we were going to binge on dim sum). 'found a spot just a little past Chatham Square (by Madison St.) and it was not a meter! Yey!

Our group gathered at around 1:30pm at Ping's, a seafood place in favorite Mott St. 8 out of the 10 members were present, and 6 of the 8 were ready to win $2grand. :P So we feasted on dumplings, siu mai, har gow (hakaw), calamari, steamed buns (siopao), black bean ribs, and mango pudding. Good food, good company. I must admit, though, we've had better dim sum at Flushing. :P

Local tip: Filipino stops at Chinatown include Hop Kee (their peking pork chops, cantonese crabs, kangkong, house special fried rice are the ultimate comfort food), Mei Lah Wah (for the steamed/white or baked/brown siopao , sweet bread), and Fong Inn Too (hot taho). They're all in close proximity to one another (Mott St./Bayard St.).

******

After the mass, 'nixed the trip to Tanger today and headed up to Stepping Stones Museum for Children to meet with the original Flushing gang. 'learned last night that they were going, so we decided to go too. It's just an hour away, and it's a weekend treat for our kids. The museum has a number of interactive, hands-on exhibits that are great for exploration, discovery, play, and learning. Most of our time was spent at Toddler Terrain where Butchukoy had a blast. He also enjoyed himself at Healthyville and Waterscape. What's really neat about the place is the different kinds of gear that are available to kids. In Waterscape, waterproof smocks are offered . In Rainforest Adventure, the children can put on a vest and "become" a scientist, complete with plastic magnifying lens and maps. Around the Healthyville gallery, there are aprons, scrubs, lab coat, stethoscope, and other accessories that can be used for role-playing. So cool! My little boy has had enough of the action by 4pm, his nap time. Even then, he was fighting off sleep and was continuing to soak it all in. It's been a great family day.

Note: I'll write about our Kitty Party next time. For now, try and guess what it is.